Rotary valve



April 15, 1930. P. J. GILBERT 1,

ROTARY VALVE I Filed Feb. 9, 1927 2 SheetsSheet l fin 0M? April 15, 1930. P. J. GILBERT v ROTARY VALVE Filed Feb. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 JWOM 0v Fem? 61! w? Patented Apr. 15, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 PETER J. GILBERT, OF MANITOWOC, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR T ARTHUR A. EISENMAN,

OF MANITO'WOC, WISCONSIN ROTARY VALVE Application filed February 9, 1927. Serial No. 166,927.

This invention relates to rotary Valves and is particularly directed to a rotary valve for internal combustion engines.

Objects of this invention are to provide a novel form of rotary valve adapted particularly to multi-cylinder engines, although it can be used with single cylinder engines, and which is so constructed that it is flexible and adjusts itself to the valve cage or cylindrical seat and automatically takes'up wear, so that it remains in perfect adjustment at all times.

Further objects are to provide a novel form of rotary valve which will adjust itself for temperature changes, which may be readily lubricated in a novel manner, and which is maintained cool during operation.

Further objects are to provide a rotary valve for internal combustionengines which is of extreme simplicity, which may be readily assembled, and which maintains a perfect fit at all times.

An embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view partly broken away through an internal combustion engine with the valve in place;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view through one of the cylinders and the associated valve showing the valve in one position, such view corresponding to a section on the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a further transverse sectiona view approximately on the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a view of a modifiedform of valve;

Figure 5 is aview of another modified form of valve.

Referring to the drawings, particularly Figure 1, it will be seen that the engine cylinder block is indicated generally by the reference character 1 and that a cylinder head 2 is shown mounted upon the upper ends of thecylinders. This head is a casting and is provided with water cooling chambers, as indicated most clearly in Figure 2 by the reference character 3. Further, it willbe seen that the valve head or cylinder head is provided with a valve casing 4 of tubular con struction and integral with the main body of the head. This valve cage is provided with an inlet port 5 and an exhaust port or outlet "port 6. Further, it is provided with a port 7 opening into the cylinder. One of these associations of ports is provided for each of the cylinders.

The rotary valve comprises a plurality of cylindrical members. 8 which are equipped with hubs 9 keyed to a valve shaft 10. The cylindrical outer surface of the valve is spaced from the hub to form a passageway or air port 11 longitudinally through the valve. F urther, it will be seen that each of the valve members is provided with a cut 65 away portion forming a port 12, asdshown most clearly in Figure 2.

It is to be particularly noted that the valves are-eachprovided with slits 13 through their outer cylindrical portions 8, as shown in Figures .2 and 3. These slits permit the annular adjusting of the valves to the valve cage, and it is preferable in the initial assembling of the valves in the cage to have the slits 13 closed, or in other words, a metal to metal contact. It is to be noted that this construction insures a springy and resilient cylindrical member for the valve which automatically takes up wear and maintains a predetermined pressure against the valve cage. Further, it will be noted from Figure 1 that the valves are provided with oil grooves 14.

Lubrication of the valves is secured by bevelling the marginal portions or outer edges of the valves, as indicated at 15 in Figure 1, and, if desired, a depression of annularcontour, as indicated at 16, may be formedin the valve casing 4. Oil is fed into these annular compartments by means ofa plurality of in let pipes 17, and is removed therefrom by means of outlet pipes 18, such pipes communicating with the annular space by means of the inlet ports 19 and the outlet ports (see Figure 3) formed in the valve head. It is to be noted that the inlet port 19 for the oil is approximately tangent to the lower portion of the annular oil spaces 16 whereas the outlet port 20 enters such space at a slightly elevated point.

The purpose of this construction is to permit the building up of the oil to a point adjacent the upper edge of the outlet port 20, such outlet port freely communicating with the oil sump formed in the crank case in the usual construction of internal combustion engines. The oil is fed to the pipes 17 from the pressure oil system and is freely fed to such pipes without generating a material pressure in such pipes, as the oil merely rises to the position shown in Figure 3 and flows freely to the outlet ports 20. Any suitable means may be employed for furnishing the oil.

The valves are all carried, as stated, by the longitudinally extending valve shaft 10, such shaft projecting completely through the valve cage and having a shoulder formed adjacent its forward portion and indicated by the reference character 21 in Figure 1. The valve shaft is provided with an enlarged portion 1 22 and with an outer reduced portion 23.

S: if desired, as shown in Figure 1, is held between the end cap and the valve head and bears against the outer edge of the valve to- Wards the front of the engine. A similar steel washer 27 is clamped by the end valve cap 28 at the rear of the valve head, as shown in Figure 1, and contacts with the rearmost of the last valve at this end of the engine.

The valves are held in place against the shoulder 21 by means of a nut 29, such nut 4 bearing against a spring washer 30, as shown.

The outer end of the reduced portion 23 of the valve shaft is driven from the crank shaft in any suitable manner. For a four cycle engine, the reduction ratio would be 2 to 1, so that the shaft 10 executes one complete revolution for each two revolutions of the crank shaft. This drive may be by means of bevelled gearing, if desired, or by means of a silent chain, as indicated at 31, running over the sprocket wheel 32 and driven from the crank shaft.

In assembling the device, the shaft is positioned in its bearing 24 and the first or most forwardly valve is slipped into place. Thereafter, the next valve and so on, to the end valve, the steel washer 26 having been first positioned, as shown. The rear steel washer 27 is next positioned, as shown, and the spring washer 30 is placed on the shaft and the nut 29 screwed into place. The valves are thus very readily assembled and are carried correctly by the shaft 10. The relative timing is secured by the position at which the keyways are cut into the valve, and preferably a continuous keyway is cut from one end of the shaft to the other. Obviously, the size and position of the ports may be such as to give any port area or valve timing desired by the particular designer. As shown in the drawings, the ports are so formed that they are at their maximum openings, both for the intake stroke and the exhaust stroke, at the middle point of travel of the piston, and closed at dead center.

It is to be particularly noted that the valves are open continuously from one end to the other that air is free to circulate therethrough to thus maintain the valves cool. The end caps 25 and 26 are merely annular rings and the forward bearing 24 is held by means of spaced arms or struts 33 so that a free air passageway is formedcompletely through the valves. The internal combustion engines, particularly as used in automobile practice, are usually provided with a fan for creating a current of air. Obviously, therefore, air will be blown through the valves and the valves maintained cool under all conditions.

It is to be noted that the slots 13 formed in the valves permit the valves to spring slightly and adjust themselves to their particular valve seats Which, of course, are cylindrical, as shown in Figure 2. Any wear that may occur is automatically taken up. At first, or in other words, when the valves are initially assembled, the slots 13 are just closed. Subsequent wear, although very slight, will permit a slight opening of the slot as the valve compensates for such wear. It has been found that these slots will fill with carbon and maintain a sealed joint at all times. However, it is to be noted that the pressure either at firing or at compression does not come upon the slots 13, as the valves are so timed in their operation that the body portion or cylindrical portion 8 thereof closes the port 7 during these periods.

As the valve rotates, it alternately places the inlet port 5 and the exhaust port 6 in communication with the cylinder port 7 at the proper intervals.

The pressure exerted by the portions 8 of the valves is such that it will withstand the compression and explosion pressures generated in the engine cylinders. It is to be noted also that the oil will not stand in the annularchambers, but will drain therefrom back into the crank case when the engine is not running. During operation, the rotation of the valves iyill carry the oil around the annular chamers.

It will be seen that a novel form of rotary valve for internal combustion engines has been provided by this invention which will automatically adjust itself, due to its fiexibility, to its valve seat, which will maintain a tight; well-lubricated joint with the valve casing, and which will automatically compensate for wear.

It will be seen also that the joint becomes more and more gas-tight as time passes which, obviously, is not the case with poppet or sleeve-type valves.

It will be seen further that the device is eminently practical and may be produced by ordinary and relatively simple machine shop processes. Further, it will be seen that the valve may be relatively cheaply constructed and that it is very much simpler than the cams, cam shafts, rock arms, and valve stems, as used in the usual internal combustion engine practice.

Figure 4 shows the preferred form of valve. It will be noted that this valve is provided with a slit 34 which slants inwardly in the di-' rection of rotation as shown by the arrow.

In the modified form shown in Figure 5, the slit is formed of two staggered inwardly slanting portions 35 and 36.

Although the invention has been described in considerable detail, such description is intended as illustrative rather than limiting as the invention may be variously embodied and as the scope of such invention is to be determined as claimed.

I claim:

1. A multiple cylinder internal combustion engine having a continuous cylinder block closing the ends of the cylinders' and provided with a cylindrical valve casing, said valve casing having diametrically arranged inlet and exhaust ports and an intermediate cylinder port, a composite rotary valve mounted within said casing and consisting of a plurality of cylindrical valves arranged with their ends in abutting relation, each valve having a longitudinally extending ven tilating opening forming a continuous opening from one end of the composite valve to the other, and ring-likeend caps at the ends of the valve casing have openings therethrough, whereby a current of air may be passed through said composite valve from one end to the other.

2. An internal combustion engine having a; plurality of cylinders fromed in a cylinder block and having open ends, a valve head closing the open ends of said cylinders and having a valve casing of cylindrical contour extending from one end of the valve head to the other and open from one end to the other, a valve shaft extending axially through said valve casing, end caps at the ends of said valve casing, said end caps having an open central portion, one of said end caps having an outwardly projecting bearing for said shaft, means for rotating said shaft, and a plurality of cylindrical valves attached to said shaft and arranged in abutting relation J to each other, said valves having ports therehave hereunto set my hand at Milwaukee, in

the county of Milwaukee, and State of Wisconsin.

PETER J. GILBERT. 

